How To Use Trello in Managing Your Business

Having a virtual staff means that you will be able to enjoy a lot of freedom.

You will have people who will work for you. You will be able to have time to focus on making your business grow.

However, there are many problems that come out when managing an online business. Keeping tabs on your people may seem like a daunting task. You do not know what your employees are doing, and you will not be able to be with them physically.

So now, ask yourself:

How will you be able to keep track of the things that you need to do?
How do you know if your employees are doing their jobs well?
What is the best way to keep tabs of what your employees have finished working on?

These questions can go on and on.

You must find a tool that will enable you to manage your business efficiently.

Technology is a Gift

Lucky for us, technology has paved the way for virtual work to be seamless. There are a lot of project management applications on the internet today, but there is one that stands out among the rest.

This is Trello.

Trello is being used by many companies in the world, including our very own PointB Education.

So, what is Trello?

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Trello is an app which helps people manage their tasks and projects. It allows the user to see an overview of what your team is doing. It clearly shows who is working on specific projects, and also gives a detailed preview of the particulars of a project.

Trello was based on the Kanban System, a management principle that was developed in Toyota. It aims to make people more productive and versatile when it comes to completing tasks.

Think of it this way: Trello is like a virtual whiteboard with little sticky-notes. These notes represent the different tasks that the employees are working on.

What is Trello Made of?

Trello is very simple to navigate and is easy to use. Its system consists of boards, lists and cards. With one glance, the user will be able to see what has been accomplished and what else needs to be worked on.

Boards, Lists and Cards

A board is usually one of the following: a project, a product, a specific client or a team. It is like your team’s central whiteboard where all tasks will be placed. The business owner may opt to place a specific group of individuals into a board.

These people will have control of the flow of items within the board — they will be able to create lists, cards, and will be able to see what is going on in the project.

A list, on the other hand, is how you divide a board in the most orderly fashion. Lists enable the user to segregate the board into various categories. Most of the time, each list is a different stage in the project’s progress. It can also be used to categorize the different tasks that have to be focused on by each member of the team.

Lastly, a card shows a particular part of a project that has to be worked on. These cards are flexible and can be moved to different lists and boards. Once you are finished with the task in the card, you can move it to the next phase, which may be in a form of another board or list. You can add images to a card.

Adding files is also made easy — you directly attach documents and files, or you can put links of document storage websites such as Google Docs and Dropbox. These cards are very easy to customize — you will be able to add all the details that are pertinent to the task, such as a due date and other descriptions.

Trello for Clients

A company can also utilize Trello in showing clients the progress of the project. For example, each client of PointB Education has his own Trello board. In this board, the client will be able to see the work-in-progress of each task the client requested for.

The client will be able to see a graphic representation of the workflow, making the work process very transparent.

Advantages of Trello for Team Members

Trello makes it so much easier to track the progress of each task whether we are working together or remotely from each other. I’ve been using Trello even when i was working in a PR agency with my team in the same office everyday. Now, that I’m working remotely, I still get things done with the team as if we are physically together in an office.

– Victoria Lago, Brand Manager, PointB Education

Team leaders and managers will find it easy to manage their team through Trello. They will be able to take note of what their team members have accomplished, even though they do not work together in the same location.

It is as if they have a real office board, with real-time updates and attached files. Trello also allows managers to keep track of who is responsible for each task at hand.

Trello makes the virtual office seem like a real physical workplace. Sometimes, the workflow is even monitored much better than working together physically.

For employees, Trello makes it easier to keep track of what a person needs to do. It allows a person to be more productive because he will be aware of the entire flow of the project. He will also feel compelled to finish the tasks quickly, because everyone in the team will be able to see the due dates of every card.

Want to Manage your Team Seamlessly? Start Using Trello Today

Trello is truly a great application which will enhance the workflow of every virtual business. It is very easy to use and can be easily be utilized even by computer and internet newbies. It is used by many successful businesses, assuring you that this can also be the perfect tool for your company or startup.

Lastly, Trello is an awesome tool because it can be used for free. There is a premium version, but you can start out with the free one just to be able to get the hang of it.